The KINGdom Of God Is NOW: The KING & His Rule

The KINGdom Of God Is NOW: The KING & His Rule: Question: "What is the Kingdom of God ?" Answer: The kingdom of God is the rule of an eternal sovereign God over all creatu...

INTEGRITY = Developing Godly Character

How can we develop and maintain integrity?
Integrity is developed as we learn and practice certain skills:

1. The first skill is learning to develop a deep personal honesty through radical self-confrontation. A person of integrity does not make excuses or blame others for his short-comings.
2. If we would become persons of integrity we must first develop the proper moral stands. Since God is the source of morality, the proper moral standards are based on His character as revealed in His Word and reinforced in our consciences by the Holy Spirit.
3. If we would become persons of integrity, God’s standards must become our standards; His values must become our values; we must learn to love what He loves and hate what He hates.
4. In order to do this we must learn “the fear of the Lord” – we must develop a healthy respect for God. “The fear of the Lord” teaches us to love what is good and hate what is evil (Rom. 12:13). God’s Word must be effectively assimilated in our heart, mind and conscience so that it will influence our thoughts, words, actions and attitudes.
5. Next, to become persons of integrity we need to realize that we can’t live the Christian life in our own strength. We need God’s enablement; therefore must learn how to be controlled by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18). In order to be controlled by God’s Spirit we must submit ourselves to God. We need to allow God to make the final decision for us based on His wise and loving Word.
6. If we wish to be persons of integrity we must develop genuine humility. What you see is what you get. We are not pretending to be some one we are not. A humble person is a realistic, teachable person.
7. Finally, if we would become persons of integrity, we must learn the wisdom of being personally accountable to others for our moral and spiritual development. It takes others to bring out the best in us and we all need accountability partners that serve as an encouragement and a reality check.

INTEGRITY--The Strength Of Character

Bible Study on Character - Integrity This Bible study on integrity can be used by one person alone or in a small group. It is short (20 to 30 mins) but if you read each passage, reflect on it, and discuss it, you'll gain a good sense of what integrity really means, its demands, and its rewards.

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In the dictionary, the word integrity means 1) an unimpaired condition, i.e., soundness, wholeness 2) firm adherence to a code of moral values, i.e., incorruptible, honor, 3) the quality or state of being complete or undivided, i.e., completeness. Synonyms of integrity are honesty and unity.

The word integrity is related to what other words? Do they give you a better sense of the meaning of integrity?

The first definition (soundness or wholeness) is most often applied to a structure or a physical object, say the girders in a bridge, an engine block, or a piece of pottery. Can it be applied to a person as well?

Thinking just of the first definition above, what happens to something that does not have integrity?

We frequently think of a man of integrity being honest and trustworthy, but integrity is more than that. Look at the second definition and describe the difference between being trustworthy and being incorruptible.

What does the Bible have to say about integrity?

1. Integrity means treating people fairly and honestly. (Leviticus 19:35-36, Deut 25:15, Proverbs 16:11-13)
2. Integrity is giving your word and keeping it. (Exodus 8:28-32)
3. Integrity will protect you. In Psalm 25, David prays that integrity and uprightness will protect him. How can it? (Psalm 25:21, Proverbs 2:7-8, 10:9, 11:3, 13:6)

4. Integrity is more valuable than riches. (Proverbs 28:6)
5. The Lord will test and judge your integrity. (1 Chronicles 29:17, Psalm 7:8)
6. The Lord hates lies and lack of integrity. (Zechariah 8:16-17)
7. It may be difficult to maintain your integrity. (Job 2:3, 2:9, Proverbs 29:10)
8. Your character can be corrupted by bad company. (1 Corinthians 15:33)
9. Integrity will be rewarded. (1 Kings 9:4-5, Nehemiah 7:2, Psalm 41:11-12)
10. Your integrity should set an example. (Titus 2:7)

Who do you know that you would describe as a person of integrity? What sets this person apart from other people of a similar age and position?

If people who know you were asked for five words that describe you, would integrity be one of them?

What can you do to improve your integrity?

Biblical Integrity

"Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee" (Psalm 25:21).
Some have said that integrity can be measured by what a person does when no one else is looking. While this may be an indicator of integrity, it is not the real litmus test. According to Scripture, the true gauge of a man's integrity is his heart.
The world evaluates a person's integrity from what it sees in man's outward behavior. God judges integrity from what He sees in a man's heart, for "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts" (Proverbs 21:2). In other words, man measures integrity from the outside, and God measures integrity from the inside.
David understood that God "is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12) when he prayed "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts" (Psalm 139:23). It was only through David's total inward submission that he could walk "in integrity of heart, and in uprightness" (I Kings 9:4).
It is important to understand that Biblical integrity is not reached by following a moral standard, it is through following Jesus Christ, the Author of moral standards. Being "followers of God" (Ephesians 5:1) means that we have been "crucified with Christ" (Galatians 2:20) and Christ lives in us where we can truly "walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4).
Biblical integrity is essentially righteousness, and righteousness is impossible apart from God. Our Lord instructs us to seek "first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33). We are not to go about trying to establish our own righteousness, but rather to submit ourselves "unto the righteousness of God" (Romans 10:3). "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10).